Emergency officials urge driving safety if you have to be out this weekend

Authorities are expecting treacherous travel conditions by Saturday night and urge you to stay at home and off the roads if you can.

Indiana State Police are urging you to prepare ahead of the weather to keep yourself and your family safe if you have to go out. Among the suggestions, they say to check your tire pressure because the pressure will drop as the temperature falls. You should also make sure that your vehicle battery and charging system are working properly. Worn windshield wipers should be replaced and it will be easy to accidently run out of wiper fluid on slushy roadways or with blowing snow, so make sure the reservoir is full.

You should also put together a cold weather emergency kit. That should include a blanket, flashlight, jumper cables, road flares and sand or kitty litter to help you get out if you get stuck. You should also consider a small shovel and emergency lights or reflectors.

If you have to go out, you should make sure to dress appropriately including coat, gloves and hat, as even a quick trip can turn into a long stay waiting for a wrecker or snow plow.

And you should make sure to give those plows plenty of room if you encounter them out on the roads.